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Index of Subjects Dear Paul Perhaps it is not as tough a decision as it first seems.... It seems there are two issues here.... 1: Energy Efficiency, an environmental issue, and 2: the Irvings, a social-political-economic issue. In the broadest sense, both issues are relevant to the sustainability of the Maritimes. As it impacts upon Issue 1, busses are unquestionable less insulting to the environment that are single occupant cars, on a "per person-mile basis." Its unquestionably a "no-brainer".... go with busses rather than single occupant cars. Issue 2 is another matter entirely, in that the Irving opponents have not really made a clear case that Irving is bad for the sustainability of the Maritimes. In the Judicial system, you are presumed innocent, until proven guilty, and the "burden of proof" is on the accuser. Lotsa ppl don't like Irving because they are very big. Thats fine. However, Irving does a lot of good for the Maritimes, as even their harshest critic must admit. What, specifically, is it that Irving is doing which is "bad?" What is the best way to encourage change? What are the alternatives? Life must go on. It is futile for the Irving Opponents to say "Stop Action X" However it can be very productive to say "Replace Action X with Action Y" The former approach is DEstructive and negative, while the latter aproach is CONstructive and positive. A lot of good people are spending a lot of their valuable time banging the Irvings. If, indeed, there are "bad practices" that can be changed to "good practises" or even "less bad practises", then their efforts should continue. However, if they cannot define problems well enough that there is likely to be a successful outcome, then they should "move on" to issues where their input can indeed result in an improvement to the Maritime Sustainability. Irving is big. Huge. With bigness comes the potential for great good, or great bad. Are they a "Friendly Giant" or an "Evil Empire?" Do they do more good than bad? Is their "benefit/cost ratio" greater than 1? What is a better alternative to the Irvings? What is one specific thing which the Irvings are doing that is wrong, and what is a "workable alternative" to it? Kindest regards, Kevin Chisholm Paul A Falvo wrote: > It's tough decision, isn't it? I think we need to try and determine which > is better for the Earth (or less bad) ... riding in a bus that Irving > owns, or in several small vans which are inevitably burning gas from an > Irving refinery, possibly driving on Irving tires, etc. > > I say "inevitable" because my understanding -- and i welcome contradiction > -- is that most of the gas in this part of the world originates in Nigeria > and is refined by Irving. Is that false? > > At any rate, we could look at it as a win-win situation. In a bus or in a > van, at least we're being more efficient than being alone in a car. > > And don't forget: two things that KC Irving does not own are the train and > my bicycle :) > > ~paul :) > > On Wed, 3 Mar 1999, jan m wrote: > > > > > hi > > > > some very good points raised, and i have a thought to add to the discussion > > . . . > > > > >... and unregulated vans in Nova Scotia and P.E.I. are driving interurban > > >buses into bankruptcy. > > > > well, i do feel sorry for any smaller local owned bus routes still > > surviving, but personally i would opt for taking a small buisness shuttle > > at less cost over irving- owned- lets- move- all- the- bus stops- to- > > irving- stations acadia lines any day. > > > > cheers, jan ~ -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- You received this because you are subscribed to "sust-mar", the Sustainable Maritimes mailing list. To unsubscribe, send email to <majordomo@chebucto.ns.ca> with "unsubscribe sust-mar" (without quotes) as the body of your message. To post a message to sust-mar subscribers, send it to <sust-mar@chebucto.ns.ca> Posts that are off-topic or excessive length (10K) will be rejected. For help contact <sust-mar-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>
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